WASHINGTON – Two US citizens with diplomatic status were quietly withdrawn from Pakistan after being involved in a fatal car accident last month while trying to help Raymond Davis, a CIA contractor being held by Pakistani authorities on murder charges.
Two officials familiar with US government activities in Pakistan said the two Americans who left the country worked for the CIA under contract as protective officers. This means they were employed as highly skilled bodyguards, like Davis, for CIA operations officers serving in Pakistan.
The two Americans who left Pakistan have not been otherwise identified by US or Pakistani authorities.
The CIA declined to comment. Current and former US national security officials familiar with the role of CIA “protective officer” contractors say it would be routine for them to do reconnaissance missions to chart safe travel routes and spot security threats. US officials deny media reports that Davis was involved in some kind of undercover counter-terrorism operations.
They also deny reports from Pakistan suggesting that Davis’ assailants had some link to the Inter Services Intelligence directorate. Elements of the ISI have been involved in secretly supporting US counter-terrorism operations in Pakistan, including a long-running campaign to attack suspected militant camps using missiles fired from unmanned drone aircraft.
